Wench – “Sick”
The long-teased collab project of Arca and Hood By Air’s Shayne Oliver, Wench, was debuted with a video last fall at the Hood By Air SS16 show during fashion week. The audio was an edit of multiple genres and artists including Chemical Brothers, Cher, Arthur Russell, Crystal Castles, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, t.A.T.u, and Chris Clark with Oliver rapping at the end. Today their first piece of completely original audio surfaces via Dazed. According to Arca “Sick” is one of “forty to fifty tracks,” but there is no word on an official album release.
On “Sick” Arca crafts an electro-R&B aesthetic while Oliver does a mix of chanting, singing, and rapping in chambered, high-pitched echoes. The opening sounds like glitter falling from the sky with shimmering synths, bouncy keys, and slow-slapping drums. Oliver’s lovelorn barbs then come in throwing plenty of shade at an ex he’s trying to get over. His lyrics are blunt and scathing, marked by lines like “Never could be in my world/ You’re the bitch/ You’re the bitch/ You’re bitch with no twists” and haunting, mocking laughter. If you are the type to get over your ex by being your fabulous self instead of eating ice cream and watching romance flicks then this song is definitely for you. Listen below.
A Wench album will most likely be out later this year, but for now “Sick” is available for download on SoundCloud.